Over 50 locals, mostly farmers, had been kidnapped when gunmen invaded Wanke and Gurusu villages of Gusau and Gummi Local Government Areas of Zamfara State.
The banditsstruck in Wanke and environs when the farmers were on the fields when they kidnapped three of their victims along the Anka-Gurusu road in Anka Local Government Area of the state.
According to a local: “The victims were working on their farms when suddenly the bandits appeared on motorbikes and abducted them at gunpoint. They asked them to get on the motorbikes and they were taken away.
“Any attempt by the kidnapped persons to escape will cost them their lives because the bandits are now very angry with the people. They are angry because they are being killed by soldiers almost on a daily basis.
“We also learnt that the bandits have placed levies on various villages. For instance, the bandits’ leader that succeeded Kachalla Halilu Sububu, Kachalla Mati, has placed N50 million levy on Kawaye village and the residents have only two weeks to pay the amount or have their village sacked.
A local who seeks anonymity revealed that “Also, a bandit leader Dan Yusuf, younger brother to another renowned bandits’ leader, Ado Alleiro has placed a levy of over N100 million which he shared among different villages across the western part of Tsafe Local Government Area.
“Residents of Kucheri village are to pay N20 million, Kwalfada, N7 million, Magazawa, N7 million, Barebari, N7 million, Bilbis, N20 million, Danjibga, N20m million, Keita, N20 million and Kunchin Kalgo, N20 million.
“The issue of levy is an annual thing in this part of the state. During every harvest period, the bandits place levies on villagers because they know they have either sold their farm produce or kept it in the silos. In other words, they know that the locals have money or something which they can sell off to pay the levies”, the source added.
A villager told the Husa Service of the BBC that they now live in agony, saying “we don’t know what has happened to our loved ones. No one has contacted us with any information about their condition.
“At least 50 people were abducted, including an imam. This is the second time gunmen have taken the imam—he was previously abducted alongside his associates, but was later released. Of the 50 victims, only seven are men; the others are women and children”, the resident said.
According to a local of Kucheri village in Tsafe Local Government Area, Muhammad Musa, though a bandits’ leader, Dan Yusuf, lost some of his men due to the recent onslaughts by the military, he is still terrorising the people.
“We heard that Dan Yusuf is now scouting for boys to recruit into banditry, Musa said, adding that “He recently went to Yanwarin Daji village and demanded for some boys and when the residents declined his request, he threatened to kill all the aged people among them. As a result, the villagers offered him five young boys which he took along with him.
“On Tuesday, Dan Yusuf attacked an Armoured Personnel Carrier of the Nigerian Army in Kunchin Kalgo village. Fortunately, none of the soldiers inside was injured or killed,” he said.
A resident of Gummi town, Malam Usman Yusuf, said three bandits stopped a commercial bus conveying passengers to Gusau from Gummi and abducted the passengers on board.
“However, while moving into the bush, five abductees ran away, but the bandits went away with three persons,” Yusuf said.
The Zamfara State Police Command is yet to react to this massive onslaught against the people as at the time of this report despite efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police Muhammad Shehu Dalijan, who said he was out of the state on an official assignment.
Dalijan said whatever enquiry needed should be obtained from the Command’s spokesperson, SP Yazid Abubakar, who was yet to respond to several calls put across to him.
However, state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Amb. Bala Muhammad Mairiga, said there were abductions in Wanke village, but said: “I cannot ascertain the number of people abducted because we have not received any official report from the security agencies or traditional institutions.
“On the issue of levy, sincerely speaking, we have not received any complaint from the affected villages. Nevertheless, we will investigate the matter and see what we can do about it. Zamfara State government will not fold its arms and allow the bandits to extort people.
“Governor Dauda Lawal-led administration is doing its best to tackle banditry and will continue to do everything possible within its power to end the menace,” he said.
